Page 14 of The Last To Know (Hallowed Halls Series #2)

“Y ou look terrible. Couldn’t sleep?” Zeke poured coffee from one of the carafes the hotel supplied in the conference room where they were meeting.

Cooper chose to take out his frustration on his friend. “Hannah told me everything. About her transplant.”

Zeke whipped his way. “She told you?” The shock on Zeke’s face confirmed Cooper hadn’t imagined the devastating news delivered by Hannah.

“She did. Finally. You should have.” Cooper bit the words out.

Zeke motioned him away from the team members who were gathered near the window.

Cooper followed, regretting his outburst. Zeke was a good friend and had his back through numerous cases.

“I couldn’t. I wanted to tell you, but it wasn’t my place, Cooper. You see that, don’t you?”

Cooper blew out a breath. “You’re right. It just took me by surprise.”

Zeke searched his face. “What did she say?”

“Only that she hoped we could be friends.” The words came out reflecting the bitterness in his heart.

“Oh, man, I’m sorry, Coop. I know how you feel about her.” Zeke glanced to his coffee cup. “She’s scared. Her friend died. Hannah’s convinced her life has a timetable on it—which the ugly truth is, she’s right. ”

Cooper’s heart felt as if it were wrenched from his body. He’d heard the words. Listened to Hannah as she told him about her friend’s recent death, and yet he couldn’t equate that tragedy with Hannah.

“I won’t accept that.” For all his bravado he couldn’t stop the inevitable. When it was Hannah’s time to leave this earth, short of another transplant, she would be in God’s hands.

Zeke glanced past him to the door. Cooper turned as Hannah entered the room.

She looked like she’d gotten about as much sleep as he did.

Jack called them over. “Let’s get started. Where are we so far? Cooper, what do we know about Salcedo?”

Cooper had given up on sleep and dug into Harold Salcedo more deeply. “He was fired from the last two pharmacies. There were accusations of missing drugs though the businesses couldn’t prove it was Salcedo.”

“Any known associates?”

Cooper shook his head. “I checked. He appeared to be a bit of a loner. I’m guessing that was purposeful. Easier to commit a crime when there’s no one hanging around.”

“I read through the fan letters sent to your father,” Sierra told him. “There are some sick women out there. Again, the women have all been cleared. Still, what makes someone want to write to a serial killer?”

Cooper had no idea. “What about the doctor who treated my dad in prison?”

“Oh, I have this one.” Megan clicked some keys on her laptop. “She no longer works there. She left a few weeks after your father died.”

“Any idea where she’s living now?” Cooper wanted to speak to her as soon as possible.

Megan nodded. “She has a cabin in the woods about two hours from here.”

Cooper rose and grabbed his coat. “Feel like a ride?” he asked Zeke.

“Let’s go.” Zeke finished his coffee .

“I’ll send you the directions.” Megan confirmed with Zeke.

“I’m coming with you.” Hannah stood.

He cringed. Their conversation the night before still ripped at his heart. But that wasn’t all. With the reality of her condition staring him in the face, Cooper didn’t want anything to happen to her. No matter how angry he was with the way she’d handled things, he didn’t want to lose her to the job. To this killer.

She stood with her hands on her hips. “The doctor is female. She might not be willing to talk to you guys.”

“She has a point.” Zeke came to the defense of his sister.

“Alright.” Cooper had no right to tell her what to do. She’d told him Jack and Megan knew about her illness and had okayed her to work.

He held the door open for her. She passed by, glaring at him as she did.

Zeke followed his sister, giving Cooper a pat on the back. It was going to be a strained two-hour-long trip if he didn’t get a handle on his anger.

He waited while Hannah bundled up. The storm hadn’t been as bad as they expected. Yet another one was moving in that was predicted to be far worse.

Cooper got behind the wheel, surprised that Hannah slipped into the passenger seat beside him. Maybe that was a good sign.

He turned onto the main road leading from the island and glanced in the rearview. “You have the address?” he asked Zeke.

“I do. She’s outside of Syracuse.” Zeke gave directions to Interstate 90.

The roads had been graded since the storm and were relatively free of ice and debris.

“This is odd.”

He shifted his attention to Hannah, who studied her tablet. “Did you find out something on the doctor?”

“I did. Isobel Melendez appears to have disappeared off the face of the earth.”

Cooper frowned, not following her. “What do you mean?”

“There are no credit card transactions in years. No social media.”

“Maybe she went off grid.” Zeke said. “According to Google Maps, her house is in the middle of the woods. It stands to reason after working for a prison for what—eight years—she’d seen the worst in humanity. Some people can’t handle that.”

“You think she flipped out and moved to the woods to get away from what she’d seen?” Cooper was skeptical.

“It’s possible. People check out for far less reasons.”

He thought about Hannah. She hadn’t checked out entirely, but losing her friend had certainly put up her guard. Hannah caught him looking, and he focused on the road ahead. He couldn’t imagine how frightening it must have been hearing her friend, who had her heart for less time than Hannah, was gone.

Cooper’s phone interrupted his troubled thoughts. Jack’s number popped on the screen. He answered the call and put it on speaker. “Anything wrong?”

“Possibly. A county judge was just reported missing from her home.” Jack gave the judge’s name.

Immediately, a pit formed in Cooper’s stomach. “You think this is our guy?”

“We can’t afford to dismiss it. Her security system was dismantled like Beckham’s and Witherspoon’s. We’re meeting the detectives over at her place. We’ll keep you posted.”

Zeke blew out a whistle. “Veronica Turner is one impressive judge.” He leaned forward to show both Hannah and Cooper the judge’s photo. “Definitely on her way up the ladder.”

“We should check into her cases.” Hannah shrugged when Cooper arched a brow. “Her disappearance probably isn’t connected to her job, but we can’t dismiss anything.” She typed on her tablet. “And as he’s proven, our copycat doesn’t seem to have any qualms about taking high-profile victims.”

“He’s confident.” Cooper tasted the bitterness in his mouth. Just like his old man. Cooper had always admired that about his father. He’d told his son that he could accomplish anything in life if he believed in himself .

How had that man—the one Cooper thought hung the moon—turned into a monster? Even counseling hadn’t helped him understand this, but he’d learned to accept it and move on.

“He’s escalating,” Hannah said. “Your father usually took his victims months apart. Our copycat is deviating from that MO.”

Which meant, who knew what he would throw at them next?

“Road to Melendez’s place is up ahead on the left.”

“Thanks, Zeke.” Cooper spotted the road and turned. As soon as he saw the condition of it, he stopped and wondered if Zeke had it right. “You sure about this?”

It was a dirt road that looked slicker than all get out.

“According to our records.”

Cooper put the Suburban into four-wheel drive to keep from slipping into the ditch. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this one.”

He slowed the vehicle’s speed to a crawl. The sky above became dark and threatening. Fitting for their purpose here. “When’s that storm supposed to hit?” he asked uneasily.

“Weather report said this afternoon. I think they got it wrong.” Zeke showed them the winter cold front moving in on his screen. “Looks like we’re in for a far worse one than yesterday. They’re calling for blizzard conditions.”

“Great.” Cooper continued along the road. “How much farther?”

Zeke checked the screen. “You’re almost on top of her drive.” He leaned close to the window. “There.”

Cooper braked when he realized he’d passed it. He eased the SUV back until he could safely make the turn. “Let’s stay alert.” Once more his earlier fears came back to haunt him. Had he put Hannah in jeopardy by agreeing to her coming?

Like you could stop her.

The drive appeared to be little more than a trail that stopped abruptly in front of a tiny cabin.

“Wait, she went from being a doctor at a prison to living here?” Zeke exclaimed, clearly surprised by the change.

“Apparently so.” Cooper slid the SUV into Park. “I don’t see any lights on inside.” His bad feeling doubled at the sight of the cabin. “Keep your weapons close.” He wanted to tell Hannah to stay behind, but he had no right.

Cooper got out and was joined by Hannah and Zeke.

He glanced around half expecting an ambush. When they stepped up on the porch, Cooper eased to the window and peeked inside. A small living room, with dining and kitchen beyond. The house was dark. No sign of the doctor.

Zeke rapped on the door. Silence followed the sound.

“Doctor Melendez. Federal agents.” Hannah called out. “Open up.”

The request was met with more silence.

“We don’t have a warrant to search the place. Let’s check around back.” Cooper stepped from the porch and headed to the side of the cabin. Hannah followed him.

Zeke took the opposite side.

“There’s a barn back here.” Cooper pointed to a structure that was mostly disguised by overgrown trees.

Hannah grabbed his arm. “I see a light beneath the door.”

Cooper spotted it, too. From the opposite side of the house, Zeke converged on their location.

As they approached, what sounded like a radio could be heard. “Someone’s in there.” Cooper’s grip tightened on his Glock when the door opened, and a woman emerged. She carried a bag in one hand and a shotgun in the other.

She spotted them and dropped the bag, wielding the shotgun in front of her as if she’d been expecting trouble. “Who are you? Why are you on my property?”

“We’re FBI agents,” Cooper told her. “I’m reaching for my ID.” He showed her the FBI credentials. “Are you Doctor Melendez?”

Her surprise was clear. “Not anymore. It’s just Isobel Melendez now. I gave up practicing medicine.”

The more Cooper learned about Melendez, the harder it was to get a read on her.

“What do you want?” She clearly didn’t want to have a conversation with them. Her anger at their intrusion into her life showed on her face.

“To talk. Only to talk. Can you please lower your weapon.” Cooper kept a careful watch on the shotgun. From the way she held it, she’d be skilled at using it when necessary. Did she have it for protection from wild animals that she might come across . . . or from danger coming from a two-legged predator?

She slowly lowered the gun. Her eyes locked onto Cooper and then she appeared to recognize him. “Wait—do I know you?”

They’d never met. There could be only one way she would.

“You’re Oliver’s son.”

She’d treated his old man. Chances are Cooper had come up in their conversations. But Cooper hadn’t once visited the prison.

“You look a lot like him. I heard you became an FBI agent.”

It was his turn to be surprised. “What do you mean you heard? My father’s been dead for years. You would have no reason to keep tabs on me.” Cooper forgot about Hannah and Zeke. Something was terribly wrong.

Isobel Melendez slowly smiled. “You’re right. Except I promised your dad I’d watch out for you.” Her smile disappeared. “Back then, he could be quite persuasive.”

After his father’s capture, Cooper had been questioned about other women. What did he know about Oliver’s relationship with the women he’d killed. Cooper had no idea if his father had cheated on his mother.

“It’s getting colder out here. Do you mind if we come inside and ask you some questions?”

Melendez didn’t seem eager to have that part of her life brought up.

“There’s been another woman killed recently.” Cooper watched her face. She didn’t seem surprised. “If you know something that might help us stop the person copycatting my father’s crimes you need to tell us.” When she remained silent, he added, “Two women are missing as well. One just last night. A judge. He won’t keep her alive long.”

Melendez blew out a sigh. “I can’t believe this is happening. I thought . . .” She eyed them all. “Alright. Come inside.” She shouldered past Cooper and headed toward the house. Cooper saw the same surprise on Hannah’s and Zeke’s faces as he wore.

The door stood open. Cooper stepped into the kitchen. Zeke closed the door behind him and Hannah.

Melendez stood in the living room looking out at their vehicle. “I should have known I couldn’t escape this. I left my job and everything to come here to escape your father’s crimes.”

Hannah went over to her. “I’m sorry you went through that. Did you love him?”

Melendez’s eyes grew large. Tears were there in the depths of her pain. “In the beginning.”

Cooper and Zeke hung back to let Hannah conduct the interview. As a profiler, she had skills that saw human characteristics most people didn’t. She’d seen the truth about Melendez’s relationship with his dad.

“How did it start?” Hannah’s gentle question encouraged her to open up. There was no judgment in her tone. Only sympathy.

“Little by little.” Melendez laughed. “Like it always does. Of course, I knew who he was. In fact, I had misgivings about treating him. I expected a monster. Oliver wasn’t one . . . at least not in the beginning.”

Cooper thought about the man he knew. Nothing about his father had prepared him for learning his dad was a serial killer.

“We talked about family. He spoke about you often.” She shifted her attention to Cooper. “My boy this, and my boy that.” Melendez shook her head. “Getting to know him, I believed him when he told me he’d been set up to take the fall for someone else.”

This grabbed Cooper’s attention. “He told you he’d been set up?” A glimmer of hope chiseled through the place where he’d buried his feelings for his father. Cooper tamped it back down. It was a lie. His father had played this woman just as he had all the others. If he’d been able to find a way, his dad would have claimed her as his victim as well.

“He talked about that all the time. I believed him.” She glanced out the window, embarrassed. “We grew closer. I made up reasons to have him come to the infirmary. We fell in love . . . or rather, I fell in love. He was using me.”

“How was he using you, Isobel?” Hannah’s question brought Melendez’s attention back to her. “He had you delivering messages to people, didn’t he?”

“How did you know?” Isobel appeared surprised she’d guessed the truth.

“You loved him. You wanted to make him happy. He trusted you.” Hannah shrugged.

“I did love him.” Melendez wiped her hand across her face.

“Who did you deliver the notes to, Isobel?” Hannah pressed her. “Were they the women who visited him in prison? The men?”

Melendez hesitated.

“Please, we need your help. It’s possible whoever received those notes might have been involved in Ellison’s crimes. He could be the one responsible for the murders now.”

“It wasn’t anyone who visited him. I think Oliver used him as cover. He was close to Oliver’s age, I believe, and he gave me the creeps.”

They had something. Finally, they had something. “What’s his name?” Cooper asked.

Isobel turned his way with a look of fear written on her face. “I don’t know. Oliver never told me.”

“He had to call him something?” Cooper pressed on. They needed a name.

“He did. He called him brother.”